Payment integrated loyalty system

ABSTRACT

A payment integrated loyalty system including a point of sale terminal comprising a card reader, a communication subsystem configured to wirelessly communicate with a payment instrument, and configured to communicate over a network with at least a first and second server. The payment integrated loyalty system includes a processor in communication with the communication subsystem and card reader, configured to receive, through the communication subsystem, a payment instrument identifier associated with the payment instrument, and obtain a fingerprint based on one-way encrypting the payment instrument identifier. The processor is further configured to receive, from the first server via the communication subsystem, a loyalty balance associated with the fingerprint and to complete the financial transaction based on an updated amount based on the loyalty balance.

CROSS-REFERENCE

This application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser.No. 16/749,479 filed Jan. 22, 2020 entitled PAYMENT INTEGRATED LOYALTYSYSTEM, all the contents of which are herein incorporated by referenceinto the below DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Example embodiments generally relate to loyalty systems and methods, forexample payment integrated loyalty systems and methods that do notdepend on a separate loyalty card.

BACKGROUND

Loyalty systems allow a customer to accrue loyalty for purchases orengagement with a retailer or service provider. These loyalty systemsprovide a way for a merchant to establish a one-to-one mutuallyadvantageous relationship with a customer. In conventional systems, thecustomer makes a decision to join a merchant's loyalty program and isissued a loyalty card number that uniquely identifies the customer (or“member” once they have joined the loyalty program) in the context ofthat merchant. The loyalty card number is carried by the member oneither a physical card or an electronic card. When making purchases atany of the merchant's locations the member identifies theirparticipation in the loyalty program by submitting their loyalty cardnumber to the merchant before or during a payment transaction. Themerchant's loyalty systems software will then accumulate points orloyalty for that member and/or provide the member an opportunity toredeem points or loyalty if applicable. Some merchants may make use ofmembers' mobile phones to enable loyalty features via an application orapp, or electronic wallet (e-wallet) card.

However, these existing loyalty systems are based on the customer havingto keep a separate loyalty card number or load a dedicated loyaltyapplication on their mobile phone. As well, many of these existingloyalty systems are tied to a single merchant. This type of dedicatedloyalty application is not integrated with a payment instrument such asa credit card.

Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a payment integratedloyalty system. It would be desirable to provide a payment integratedloyalty system which can integrate a payment instrument with one or moreloyalty programs.

SUMMARY

A payment integrated loyalty system, devices and methods of operationare described.

An example embodiment includes a system comprising a point of saleterminal including: a card reader; a communication subsystem configuredto wirelessly communicate with a payment instrument, and configured tocommunicate over a network with at least a first and second server; anda processor. The processor is in communication with the communicationsubsystem and card reader, and configured to receive, through thecommunication subsystem, a payment instrument identifier associated withthe payment instrument, and to receive, via the card reader, an amountof the financial transaction. The processor is configured to obtain afingerprint based on one-way encrypting the payment instrumentidentifier, transmit, to the first server via the communicationsubsystem, the fingerprint without transmitting the payment instrumentidentifier and receive, from the first server via the communicationsubsystem, a loyalty balance associated with the fingerprint. Theprocessor is further configured to transmit, to the second server viathe communication subsystem, the payment instrument identifier and apayment authorization request for authorization of the amount of thefinancial transaction, and to receive, from the second server, aresponse to the payment authorization request that the amount of thefinancial transaction has been authorized for the payment instrumentidentifier; and to transmit, to the first server, data representative ofthe amount of the financial transaction.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the processor may beconfigured to obtain a fingerprint whereby the processor is configuredto obtain the fingerprint from the second server.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the processor may beconfigured to obtain a fingerprint whereby the processor generates thefingerprint.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the financial transaction is arefund transaction, wherein received loyalty balance reflects a reversalof a loyalty amount due to the refund transaction.

Another example embodiment includes a method performed by a point ofsale terminal pursuant to a financial transaction, the method comprisingreceiving, through the point of sale terminal, a payment instrumentidentifier, and receiving, through the point of sale terminal, an amountof the financial transaction. The method further includes obtaining afingerprint based on one-way encrypting the payment instrumentidentifier, transmitting, to a first server, the fingerprint and withouttransmitting the payment instrument identifier, and receiving, from thefirst server, a loyalty balance associated with the fingerprint. Themethod further includes transmitting, to a second server, the paymentinstrument identifier and a payment authorization request forauthorization of the amount of the financial transaction, receiving,from the second server, a response to the payment authorization requestthat the amount of the financial transaction has been authorized for thepayment instrument identifier; and transmitting, to the first server,data representative of the amount of the financial transaction.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the method may comprise afingerprint that is a non-reversible, one-way transformation of thepayment instrument identifier. In accordance with an example embodiment,the method further includes salting the payment instrument identifier,and wherein the one-way transformation includes hashing the saltedpayment instrument identifier.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the method may comprise, thepayment instrument identifier comprising at least a primary accountnumber (PAN).

In accordance with an example embodiment, the method may comprise thepayment instrument identifier comprising at least a credit card numberor a debit card number.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the method may comprisefurther outputting the loyalty balance to a user interface of the pointof sale terminal.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the method may comprise thereceived loyalty balance reflecting an updated loyalty balance due tothe amount of the financial transaction.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the transmitting, to the firstserver, the data representative of the amount of the financialtransaction, is performed prior to the receiving, from the first server,the loyalty balance associated with the fingerprint.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the financial transaction is arefund transaction, the method may comprise receiving, from the firstserver, the updated loyalty balance which had reversed a loyalty amountdue to the refund transaction.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the method may comprise thereceived loyalty balance reflecting current loyalty balance prior to thefinancial transaction.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the method may comprisereceiving, from the first server, an updated loyalty balance due to theamount of the financial transaction; and outputting, through the userinterface, the updated loyalty balance.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the method may compriseprompting, through the user interface, a loyalty redemption amount to bededucted from the loyalty balance, wherein the amount of the financialtransaction reflects the loyalty redemption amount that is deducted. Themethod may further comprise receiving, from the first server, an updatedloyalty balance due to the amount of the financial transaction and/orthe loyalty redemption amount, and outputting, through the userinterface, the updated loyalty balance.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the transmitting, to thesecond server, the payment authorization request for authorization ofthe amount of the financial transaction can be performed in response toreceiving the loyalty redemption amount from the prompting.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the method may comprise thefingerprint is associated with a loyalty profile that is not associatedwith any user account, wherein the current loyalty balance prior to thefinancial transaction being accumulated from one or more previousfinancial transactions that was allocated to the loyalty profile and notany user account.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the method may comprisereceiving, from the first server, an indication that there is no useraccount associated with the fingerprint and prompting, through the userinterface, whether a new user account or an existing user account is tobe associated with the fingerprint, and further transmitting, to thefirst server, data indicative of the new user or account or the existinguser account for the first server to associate the fingerprint with thenew user account or the existing user account. In accordance with anexample embodiment, the method may comprise: receiving, from the firstserver, an indication that there is user account associated with thefingerprint; receiving, from the first server, an indication that thereno loyalty account associated with the fingerprint; prompting, throughthe user interface, an existing registration information of the useraccount to be used to register for a new loyalty account withoutprompting any registration form; and transmitting, to the first server,a request including the existing registration information of the useraccount for the first server to associate the existing registrationinformation with the new loyalty account.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the method may comprise:receiving, from the first server, an indication that there is no useraccount associated with the fingerprint; prompting, through the userinterface, an existing registration information of the user account; andtransmitting, to the first server, a request including the existingregistration information of the user account for the first server toassociate one or more loyalty accounts of the user account with thefingerprint.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the transmitting, to the firstserver, the data representative of the amount of the financialtransaction can be performed in response to the receiving, from thesecond server, a response to the payment authorization request that theamount of the financial transaction has been authorized, and thereceived loyalty balance reflects an updated loyalty balance due to theamount of the financial transaction.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the data representative of theamount of the financial transaction can include a loyalty amountequivalent to the amount of the financial transaction.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the payment instrumentidentifier is unknown to the first server.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the payment instrumentidentifier is inaccessible to the first server.

In accordance with an example embodiment, obtaining the fingerprintcomprises the point of sale terminal generating the fingerprint.

In accordance with an example embodiment, obtaining the fingerprintcomprises transmitting the payment instrument identifier to the secondserver; and receiving the fingerprint from the second server.

Another example embodiment includes a method performed by a serverpursuant to a financial transaction, the method comprising receiving,from a point of sale terminal that is processing the financialtransaction by way of a payment instrument identifier, a fingerprintthat is a hash of the payment instrument identifier, the paymentinstrument identifier being unknown to the server. The method furtherincludes receiving data representative of the amount of the financialtransaction, determining a loyalty balance associated with thefingerprint, and transmitting, to the point of sale terminal, theloyalty balance associated with the fingerprint.

In accordance with an example embodiment, determining the loyaltybalance comprises determining an updated loyalty balance due to theamount of the financial transaction.

In accordance with an example embodiment, determining the loyaltybalance comprises determining the current loyalty balance prior to thefinancial transaction.

In accordance with an example embodiment, determining the loyaltybalance further comprises determining a loyalty profile associated witha user account.

In accordance with an example embodiment, determining the loyaltybalance further comprises determining that a loyalty profile is notassociated with a user account, and the method further comprisestransmitting, to the point of sale terminal, an indication that there isno user account associated with the fingerprint, and receiving, from thepoint of sale terminal, data indicative of a new user or account or anexisting user account for the server to associate the fingerprint withthe new user account or the existing user account.

In accordance with an example embodiment, the server does not receivethe payment instrument identifier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a more complete understanding of example embodiments, reference isnow made to the following detailed description of example embodimentstaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a payment integrated loyaltysystem.

FIG. 2 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to accumulate loyalty entitlements inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to redeem loyalty entitlements in accordancewith an example embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to register a customer in accordance with anexample embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to accumulate loyalty entitlements inaccordance with another example embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to redeem loyalty entitlements in accordancewith another example embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to register a customer in accordance withanother example embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to link a payment card in accordance with anexample embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 subsequent to FIG. 4, 7 or 14 to register for aloyalty system in accordance with another example embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 subsequent to FIG. 4, 7 or 14 to link a paymentcard in accordance with another example embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to register for a loyalty system in accordancewith another example embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram of the card-mapping database inaccordance with an example embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to accumulate loyalty entitlements inaccordance another example embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to redeem loyalty entitlements in accordancewith another example embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram of the payment integrated loyalty system ofFIG. 1 operating in accordance with another example embodiment.

FIG. 16A is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to redeem or accumulate loyalty entitlements inaccordance with another example embodiment.

FIG. 16B is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to redeem or accumulate loyalty entitlements inaccordance with another example embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 to register for a loyalty system in accordancewith another example embodiment.

FIG. 18 is a simplified block diagram illustrating an example point ofsale terminal in accordance with example embodiments.

FIG. 19 is a flow diagram showing messages using the payment integratedloyalty system of FIG. 1 in response to reversed transactions inaccordance with another example embodiment.

The same reference numbers may have been used in the drawings and thefollowing detailed description to refer to similar elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

A payment integrated loyalty system, devices and methods of operationare described. Loyalty systems enabled by the payment integrated loyaltysystem include points, stars, rewards, punch cards, etc.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an example embodiment of a paymentintegrated loyalty system 100. Payment integrated loyalty system 100 canprocess and read a payment instrument 104. An example of the paymentinstrument 104 is a payment card 105 or a virtual payment instrumentsuch from a mobile communication device configured with near fieldcommunication (NFC) or other suitable protocol for providing the paymentinstrument identifier. Payment integrated loyalty system 100 may also beconfigured to handle legacy systems that may include a loyalty card 102.In example embodiments, system 100 allows for the use of multiplepayment cards 105 or multiple loyalty cards 102 in some examples. Insome examples, payment instrument 104 includes a unique identifier thatis readable by the point of sale (POS) terminal 106. In some examples,the payment instrument 104 includes an onboard processor and wirelesscommunication subsystem which is able to communicate with the POSterminal 106, sometimes referred to as a smart card or a smart chip. Thepayment instrument 104 may include a readable magnetic stripe, whichstores the unique identifier retrieved by a magnetic card reader of thecard reader module 1872.

The POS terminal 106, receives, from a merchant or customer of the userinterface 202 (FIG. 18 ), a request to complete a financial transaction.The request can be provided by the merchant or customer to the POSterminal 106 and includes at least an amount of the financialtransaction. The request to complete the financial transaction mayinclude or be sent contemporaneous with a request to allocate loyalty.For example, the POS terminal 106 may receive a request that includes aprice of a service to be delivered by a merchant and a request toallocate loyalty based on the price of the service. The request(s)received by the POS terminal 106 may include information required toprocess the financial transaction and allocation request, such asmerchant account information. The POS terminal 106 may also receive,pursuant to the request, information required by the merchant for recordkeeping purposes, such as a transaction number.

Referring now to FIG. 18 , an example embodiment of the POS terminal 106is shown. The POS terminal 106 includes at least one processor 1804 thatcontrols the overall operation of the POS terminal 106. The processor1804 is coupled to a plurality of components via a communication bus(not shown) which provides a communication path between the componentsand the processor 1804. The POS terminal 106 may also include any one ofor any combination of Random Access Memory (RAM) 1808, Read Only Memory(ROM) 1810, a persistent (non-volatile) memory 1812 which may be flasherasable programmable read only memory (EPROM) (“flash memory”) or othersuitable form of memory. The POS terminal 106 also may include a dataport 1820 such as a serial data port (e.g., Universal Serial Bus (USB)data port), a communication subsystem 1830, and a real-time clock (RTC)1860.

The communication subsystem 1830 may include any combination of along-range wireless communication subsystem, a short-range wirelesscommunication subsystem, or a wired communication subsystem (e.g.,Ethernet or the like). The long-range wireless communication subsystemincludes one or more radio frequency (RF) transceivers for communicatingwith a radio access network (e.g., cellular network). The RFtransceivers may communicate with any one of a plurality of fixedtransceiver base stations of a cellular network within its geographiccoverage area. The long-range wireless communication subsystem may alsoinclude a wireless local area network (WLAN) transceiver forcommunicating with a WLAN via a WLAN access point (AP). The WLAN mayinclude a Wi-Fi wireless network that conforms to Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.11x standards (sometimesreferred to as Wi-Fi®) or other communication protocol. The short-rangecommunication subsystem may include devices, associated circuits andcomponents for providing various types of short-range wirelesscommunication such as Bluetooth™, RFID (radio frequency identification),near field communication (NFC), IEEE 802.15.3a (also referred to asUltraWideband (UWB)), Z-Wave, ZigBee, ANT/ANT+ or infrared (e.g.,Infrared Data Association (IrDA) communication).

The communication subsystem 1830 of the POS terminal 106 may include oneor more antennas, a processor such as a digital signal processor (DSP),and local oscillators (LOs). The specific design and implementation ofthe communication subsystem 1830 is dependent upon the communicationtechnologies implemented by the POS terminal 106. Data received by thePOS terminal 106 may be decompressed and decrypted by a decoder (notshown).

Operating system software 1840 executed by the processor 1804 is storedin the persistent memory 1812 but may be stored in other types of memorydevices, such as ROM 1808 or similar storage element. A number ofapplications 1842 executed by the processor 1804 are also stored in thepersistent memory 1812. The applications 1842 may include the loyaltyagent 114, responsible for actions to allocated loyalty entitlements,and a payment agent 120, responsible for completing financialtransactions. Data 1850 can be used to store data relied upon orcollected by the applications. Other applications are also stored in thememory 1812. The loyalty agent 114 and the payment agent 120, whenexecuted by the processor 1804, allow the POS terminal 106 to performthe methods described herein.

As described herein, the loyalty agent 114 can be operated by the POSterminal 106 while other applications are in operation, running in thebackground. In some embodiments, for example, the loyalty agent 114 maybe configured to be able to collect data from other running applicationsregarding customer interactions, and use the collected data to carry outthe methods described herein.

The POS terminal 106 also includes a user interface 202. The userinterface 202 may include a plurality of modules for receiving customerinput or notifying a customer. For example, the user interface 202 mayinclude any one of a display module 1870, a printer module 1874, anaudio module 1876 for receiving and generating audio, a keypad module1878, a tactile feedback module (not shown) or other physical feedbackmodules, independently or in any combination, for interacting with andreceiving customer input. For example, the user interface 202 mayinclude the display module 1870 and the keypad module 1878, allowing acustomer to enter a personal identification number (PIN) combinationupon a prompt (typically a 4-digit PIN). In some examples, the displaymodule 1870 is a touchscreen. In some examples, a card reader module1872 is configured for extracting at least a payment instrumentidentifier from a payment instrument 104 having a magnetic strip. Thecard reader module 1872 can also include an RFID reader or smart chipreader that can be configured with Near Field Communication (NFC)communication protocol, to receive the payment instrument identifierfrom the payment instrument 104 or mobile device.

Referring again to FIG. 1 , the financial transaction, in order to becompleted, requires the information stored on the payment instrument 104of a customer. The payment instrument 104 can be a credit card, a debitcard, a gift card, or any other card or communication device (such as acellphone with a payment application, for example, WeChat™) configuredfor completing the financial transaction. The payment instrument 104 mayinclude or convey information via a 2D or 3D barcode, magnetic encodingsuch as a magnetic stripe, resident smart chip (including amicroprocessor and RFID antenna), serial number which can be manuallyinserted or optically scanned, and so forth. The payment instrument 104that provides the payment instrument identifier can also be communicatedby a NFC (or other wireless communication protocol) enabled mobilecommunication device having stored thereon (or access to) the paymentinstrument identifier.

The POS terminal 106, in example embodiments via the payment agent 120,receives a payment instrument identifier from the payment instrument104. In example embodiments, the payment agent 120 is configured to sendthe payment instrument identifier to the payment processing server 108that administers the authorizations for the payment instrument 104 tocomplete the financial transaction.

The payment agent 120, in example embodiments through the user interface202 or the card reader module 1872, may receive the payment instrumentidentifier from the payment instrument 104 via a physical or wirelesscommunication scheme. For example, the user interface 202 may receivethe payment instrument identifier via the customer entering a numbermanually. In example embodiments, the payment agent 120 receives thepayment instrument identifier through a module of the POS terminal 106,for example, such as a customer swiping a payment instrument 104 alongthe card reader module 1872. The payment agent 120 may receive thepayment instrument identifier through the communication subsystem 1830,for example, via an NFC communication from the payment instrument 104 tothe communication subsystem 1830. In example embodiments, a computingdevice, such as a NFC enabled mobile phone (not shown here), is used tocommunicate the payment instrument identifier to the payment agent 120via the communication subsystem 1830.

In some example embodiments, the payment agent 120, after receiving thepayment instrument identifier from the payment instrument 104,transmits, to the payment processing server 108, a payment authorizationrequest for authorization of the amount of the financial transaction.The payment authorization request includes at least the paymentinstrument identifier, and may include further information required tocomplete the financial transaction. The information required to completethe financial transaction can, for example, include the amount of thefinancial transaction, merchant identifying information, PersonalIdentification Number (PIN) passcodes, and so forth. The paymentprocessing server 108, in response to receiving the information requiredto complete the financial transaction from the payment agent 120,determines whether to authorize the financial transaction. The paymentprocessing server 108 transmits a response to the payment agent 120indicating whether the financial transaction has been authorized. Forexample, the payment processing server 108 can determine whether thereare sufficient funds or credit limits in association with the paymentinstrument 104, in which case the financial transaction is authorized.

The POS terminal 106 may be configured to have the user interface 202notify a customer of the response from the payment processing server108. In example embodiments in which the user interface 202 is part ofthe POS terminal 106, the notification may include displaying a messageon the POS terminal 106 indicating whether the payment was authorized.The notification can include the manifesting of a physical phenomena,depending on the available functionality of the user interface 202, suchas audio (e.g., voice, buzzing), display screen (which can include atouchscreen), or other physical effect. In example embodiments, thenotification includes sending a message, such as a text, email or otherform of communication. In example embodiments in which the userinterface 202 is on the POS terminal 106 which is a customer device orcustomer equipment, the user interface 202 may similarly display anotification on the POS terminal 106 device based on availablecapability.

In example embodiments of the payment integrated loyalty system 100,upon receipt of the payment instrument identifier based on the paymentinstrument 104, the payment agent 120 is configured to generate aone-way hash (which can be referred to as a “fingerprint”) of thepayment instrument identifier (or data based on the payment instrumentidentifier). In example embodiments, the loyalty agent 114, or anotherapplication running on the POS terminal 106 generates the one-way hash.In some example embodiments, the fingerprint is generated by the paymentprocessing server 108. The payment processing server 108 may generatethe fingerprint in response to a specific request or as part of theprocess of completing the financial transaction. The fingerprint issuitable for requests based on the payment instrument 104 because it isgenerally not possible to recover or decrypt the payment instrumentidentifier from the fingerprint. Therefore, the fingerprint does notcontain sensitive information, such as the payment instrumentidentifier. In example embodiments, the payment agent 120 does not sendthe payment instrument identifier to the loyalty server 110, securingthe payment instrument identifier, which is typically consideredsensitive information. Furthermore, as described in greater detailherein, the fingerprint is used for loyalty programs by increasingfunctionality of the payment instrument 104 to include loyaltyfunctionality, so that the customer does not require a separate loyaltycard 102. With the use of a fingerprint, a customer may be able to usethe payment instrument 104 to complete a financial transaction, and tocomplete a loyalty transaction (whether redemption, accumulation, orotherwise) at a plurality of POS terminals 106 and for a plurality ofloyalty systems.

The fingerprint is considered unique to the payment instrument 104 andthe payment instrument identifier. The payment integrated loyalty system100 can utilize the fingerprint to ensure accurate loyalty redemption.The fingerprint may ensure that, (1) the same fingerprint can bereturned on every transaction including purchases and refunds, (2) Thesame fingerprint can be returned regardless of the merchant's locationeither online or at one or more of the merchant's physical locations,(3) the same fingerprint can be returned across all merchants in thepayment network regardless of whether they are participating in theloyalty system or not, (4) the fingerprint is simple enough to betransferable through various types of POS terminal 106 or paymentprocessing systems (and can be a compact size, such as 256 characters insome examples, and more or less than 256 characters is other examples),(5) the fingerprint does not include any personally identifiableinformation about the customer or their payment method, and (6) thefingerprint cannot itself be used to conduct a payment.

In example embodiments, the fingerprint is generated by at least one-wayencrypting the payment instrument identifier (or in some examples, databased on the payment instrument identifier). In an example embodiment,the one-way encrypting can be a hashing algorithm. In various exampleembodiments, any suitable hash algorithm may be used, in whichcryptographic security and reasonable performance are obtained at themoment of the financial transaction without adding too much latency. Forexample, a secure hash algorithm (SHA) algorithm, such as SHA-256 orSHA-512 may be used, as understood in the art. In order to operatewithin the payment integrated loyalty system 100, the payment agent 120may be required to implement particular hashing algorithmcharacteristics. For example, the payment integrated loyalty system 100may require as a characteristic of the hash algorithm selected that acertain output space size is used in order to ensure unique outcomes forthe payment instrument identifiers. The output space size will varydepending on the understood computational power available to defeat thesystem. The output space size may depend on the amount of uniqueindividual account identifiers, conveyed by the payment instrument 104as part of the payment instrument identifier, required to complete thefinancial transaction. For example, at current levels a hash algorithmwith an output space size of 256 bits may be used. It may be that ascomputational power increases, hash algorithms with hash spaces inexcess of 256 bits provide a reasonable trade off between cryptographicsecurity and performance.

The payment integrated loyalty system 100 may require as acharacteristic of the one-way encrypting technique that certain inputconditions be satisfied. For example, in order to generate thefingerprint, the payment agent 120 may require that the paymentinstrument identifier (e.g. Primary Account Numbers or PANs) used togenerate the fingerprint be altered in order to align with a targettrade off between cryptographic security and performance. For example,the payment agent 120 may be required to supplement the paymentinstrument identifier with further noise or values prior to generatingthe fingerprint (e.g. increasing the input space size). In exampleembodiments, the payment instrument identifier is supplemented viasalting to achieve a particular length. For example, the POS terminal106 may be configured to apply a hash algorithm on an input with a sizeof 256 bits. In order to achieve member recognition across differentmerchants the same salt algorithm (having the same salt value) and hashalgorithm may be required to be consistently applied by every paymentagent 120 in the payment integrated loyalty system 100. Examples ofdefining, securing and updating the salt value include random numbergeneration of the salt value or predefined salt value selection, whichis known to the POS terminal 106 (and other POS terminals 106). In otherexamples, when the payment processing server 108 generates the hash andsalts the hash, the salt value or predefined salt value selection isknown to the payment processing server 108.

The payment agent 120 may communicate the fingerprint to the loyaltyagent 114 in order to administer and update loyalty system entitlements.The payment agent 120 communicates the fingerprint without transmittingthe payment instrument identifier. In example embodiments, the paymentinstrument identifier is unknown to the loyalty agent 114, and isinaccessible to the loyalty agent 114.

In order to administer loyalty system entitlements to third partyloyalty, the payment integrated loyalty system 100 may be configured toupdate a loyalty account database 112. The loyalty account database 112may store loyalty system accounts, which can include of or be related toregistration information, loyalty transaction logs, loyalty entitlementdeterminers, and a reward program account status. For example, the AirMiles™ loyalty account database 112 may store a customer's address, theamount of air miles earned to date, a record of the transactions thathave led to the current amount of Air Miles™, a redemption entitlementbased on said points, and so forth.

In some example embodiments, the POS terminal 106 operates the loyaltyagent 114. In example embodiments, the loyalty agent 114 connects withthe card mapping database 116 and retrieves or receives a loyalty systemaccount identifier related to the fingerprint. The loyalty agent 114 maythen provide the loyalty server 110 with the loyalty system accountidentifier and data pertaining to the financial transaction. In exampleembodiments, the loyalty agent 114 transmits the fingerprint and atleast some data pertaining to the financial transaction to the loyaltyserver 110. The loyalty server 110 thereafter connects with the cardmapping database 116 and receives or retrieves a loyalty system accountidentifier related to the fingerprint. The loyalty server 110subsequently connects with the loyalty account database 112 to allocateloyalty system entitlements based on the data pertaining to thefinancial transaction and the retrieved loyalty system accountidentifier.

In example embodiments, the loyalty server 110 operates the loyaltyagent 114. Therefore, as described above, the payment instrumentidentifier is unknown and inaccessible to the loyalty server 110. If theloyalty server 110 operates the loyalty agent 114, the POS terminal 106,via the payment agent 120 or a separate application, may be configuredto transmit the fingerprint to the loyalty server 110.

In some examples, the loyalty agent 114 may be connected through one ormore communication networks to the loyalty server 110, the POS terminal106, the loyalty account database 112, a card mapping database 116, anda customer account database 118.

The card mapping database 116 stores information capturing theinterrelation between fingerprints and customer accounts. A singlecustomer account may be related to multiple fingerprints. For example,the card mapping database 116 may include information that a particularcustomer account is related to five separate fingerprints, and thereforefive separate payment cards or methods 105. Referring now to FIG. 12 , adetailed example of the card mapping database 116 is shown asdetermining that three fingerprints, 1202A, 1202B and 1202C, are relatedto a single customer account 1204.

In example embodiments, the card mapping database 116 is further used tostore customer account information. As a single customer account may beused to participate in a variety of loyalty systems, the card mappingdatabase 116 may act as a store of the aggregate meta-informationrelated to the loyalty systems. For example, a single customer accountcan be used to manage entitlements to multiple loyalty systemregistrations for the customer, such as independent loyalty systemsincluding Air Miles™, retailer specific systems such as Delta SkyMiles®,financial intuition systems such as Chase Ultimate Loyalty®, and soforth. The card mapping database 116 can collect meta-information foreach loyalty system registration. The stored customer accountinformation may include information relevant to accessing or updatingthe loyalty system registrations, the status of the reward systemregistrations such as expiry, and so forth.

The card mapping database 116 may, in addition to the customer accountinformation described above, store any and all information stored in athird party reward account database 112, allowing the customer to accessinformation from any loyalty system associated with the customer accountin a single location. The card mapping database 116 may also store, forexample, aggregate information pertaining to the individual loyaltysystems, the fingerprints used to access particular loyalty systems, andso forth.

In example embodiments, the card mapping database 116 is limited tostoring information capturing the interrelation between fingerprints andcustomer account, and the remainder of the customer account informationdescribed above is stored on a customer account database 118.

If the card mapping database 116 determines that there is a customeraccount related to a fingerprint, the card mapping database 116 isconfigured to communicate the at least some information based on thecustomer account to either the loyalty server 110 or the loyalty agent114. The information based on the customer account can include theloyalty system account identifier, a loyalty balance(s) associated withthe particular loyalty program(s) (where the fingerprint may beassociated with a plurality of loyalty programs, for example multiplemerchant specific loyalty programs), or any information required by theloyalty agent 114 or loyalty server 110 to determine the appropriatereward account database 112 to communicate with in order to administerloyalty system entitlements for the customer account.

The loyalty agent 114 or loyalty server 110, relying upon theinformation provided by the card mapping database 116, communicates withthe appropriate loyalty account database 112 and request allocation ofloyalty system entitlements.

The loyalty server 110 and loyalty agent 114 are configured to be ableto, and to have authorization to access any active reward accountdatabase 112 on behalf of the customer. For example, the loyalty server110 may utilize different application programming interfaces (APIs) orinterfaces to access a particular customer's loyalty entitlements storedin the reward account database 112.

As a result, in example embodiments, the payment integrated loyaltysystem 100 does not require any loyalty card 102 in order to administerloyalty program entitlements.

Third parties, such as an independent loyalty system operator, mayoperate the loyalty server 110. For example, the loyalty server 110 maybe a loyalty processor operated by Air Miles™. The loyalty server 110may be operated by the payment integrated loyalty system 100, andcommunicate with third party operated loyalty account databases 112,which administers the third party loyalty systems.

In example embodiments, the payment integrated loyalty system 100 isconfigured to use both the payment instrument 104 as well as the loyaltycard 102 to accommodate legacy systems or legacy examples that still usea loyalty card 102 (or loyalty wallets that contain virtual loyaltycards or loyalty numbers). The POS terminal 106 may be configured toreceive a loyalty system account identifier from the loyalty card 102.Therefore, in some examples the POS terminal 106 can be backwardscompatible with a standard loyalty card 102.

The POS terminal 106, via loyalty agent 114, may be able to use to atleast the loyalty system account identifier, retrieved or received fromthe loyalty card 102, to identify a loyalty server 110 or loyaltyaccount database 112 that administers the respective loyalty systemrelated to the loyalty system account identifier. In exampleembodiments, the POS terminal 106 provides the loyalty system accountidentifier to a loyalty agent 114, which can identify the appropriateloyalty server 110 or loyalty account database 112. For example, an AirMiles™ loyalty card 102 may have a loyalty system account identifier ona magnetic stripe which is read by the POS terminal 106, allowing thePOS terminal 106 or loyalty agent 114 to identify the loyalty accountdatabase 112 responsible for administering the Air Miles™ loyaltysystem.

In example embodiments in which the payment integrated loyalty system100 can read a legacy loyalty card 102, the card mapping database 116may be configured to store loyalty system account identifiers as beingrelated to a particular customer account. In examples in which thelegacy loyalty card 102 is used with the payment integrated loyaltysystem 100, the loyalty agent 114 may be configured to query the loyaltyserver 110 and processes the request to allocate and subsequently updatethe customer account stored in the loyalty account database 118 or thecard mapping database 116.

In legacy examples in which the payment integrated loyalty system 100directly receives the loyalty card 102, the POS terminal 106 may beconfigured to send a request to allocate loyalty to the loyalty server110 (directly or indirectly via loyalty agent 114), the requestincluding the loyalty system account identifier. The loyalty server 110may send the request to allocate loyalty to the required loyalty accountdatabase 112. Similar to the payment processing server 108, the loyaltyaccount database 112 is configured to transmit to the loyalty server 110a notification of whether the request to allocate loyalty wasauthorized. The request to allocate loyalty can be an accrual orredemption of points and or other loyalty.

Similar to payment instrument 104, in example embodiments a computingdevice, such as a mobile phone (not shown), can be used to provide theinformation transferred by the loyalty card 102 to the POS terminal 106,as in the conventional or legacy case.

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 describe example embodiments in which the paymentintegrated loyalty system 100 is used pursuant to a financialtransaction if the payment instrument 104 is read by a POS terminal 106.

Reference is now made to FIG. 2 , which shows a flow diagram of anexample method 200 showing messages within the payment integratedloyalty system 100 to accumulate loyalty, in accordance with an exampleembodiment.

At step 204, the payment agent 120 receives a request to complete afinancial transaction from a user interface 202. The request to completethe financial transaction can include the payment instrument identifierbased the payment instrument 104, and at least an amount of thefinancial transaction. The payment instrument identifier can be based ona PAN of the payment instrument 104. For example, the payment instrumentidentifier can be the PAN (for example, a credit card number) withrandom numbers salted into the PAN at designated intervals up to therequired input space size. In example embodiments, the paymentinstrument identifier may be a payment account reference (PAR), a uniquenumber assigned to a specific cardholder regardless of PAN updates orchanges. The payment instrument identifier can be determined using theprocess above, with the PAR substituting the PAN.

In response to receiving the payment instrument identifier, the POSterminal 106 is configured, via the payment agent 120 or otherwise, toone-way encrypt the payment instrument identifier to generate afingerprint.

At step 206, the payment agent 120 communicates, to the loyalty agent114, the fingerprint without transmitting the payment instrumentidentifier. In example embodiments, the fingerprint is sent as a requestfor allocation to a customer account related to the financialtransaction. For example, the request for allocation can be a request toredeem loyalty entitlements, a request to accrue loyalty entitlements, arequest to register for loyalty entitlements, and so forth. The requestfor allocation includes at least the fingerprint and the amount of thefinancial transaction. In example embodiments, where the rewards balanceis specific to each merchant, the request for allocation may include theidentity of the merchant related to the transaction. For example, thepayment agent 120 may be configured with the identity of the merchantthat is using it based on a registration. In example embodiments inwhich the loyalty agent 114 is remote to (not resident on) the POSterminal 106, the request for allocation may be sent via a wirelessconnection.

In response to receiving the fingerprint, the loyalty agent 114 may beconfigured to query the card mapping database 116 for a customer accountrelated to the fingerprint. The card mapping database 116 may to returnto the loyalty agent 114 some or all of the information stored in therelated customer account if there is a related customer account. Forexample, the card mapping database 116 may provide the loyalty agent 114with a loyalty ID, specific to a particular loyalty system accountwithin the customer account, which allows the loyalty agent 114 todetermine the loyalty account database 112 to which the request forallocation should be directed. In example embodiments, the card mappingdatabase 116 provides the loyalty agent 114 with a list of loyaltysystem account identifiers that are related to the customer account,allowing the loyalty agent 114 to seek input from the user interface 202as to which loyalty system account the customer would like to utilizefor the financial transaction.

The card mapping database 116 may provide the loyalty agent 114 withcustomer account information stored in or related to the customeraccount other than identifying information in embodiments in which thecard mapping database 116 stores customer account information. Forexample, the card mapping database 116 may provide the loyalty agent 114with expected entitlement rates for a variety of loyalty systems relatedto the customer account.

At step 208, if the loyalty agent 114 queried the card mapping database116, the loyalty agent 114 sends the loyalty server 110 the request forallocation with the loyalty system account identifier(s) received fromthe card mapping database 116. The loyalty server 110 thereafter queriesthe loyalty account database 112 for loyalty system account informationrelated to the loyalty system account identifier, including for examplethe loyalty balance.

In example embodiments, the loyalty server 110 is responsible forcommunications with the card mapping database 116. In these embodiments,the loyalty agent 114 communicates the request for allocation with theloyalty server 110. The loyalty server 110 thereafter, similar to theprocess described above with respect to loyalty agent 114, queries thecard mapping database 116 for a customer account related to thefingerprint received via the request for allocation. In theseembodiments, the loyalty server 110 may query the loyalty accountdatabase 112 for loyalty system account information related to theloyalty system account identifier, including for example the loyaltybalance.

At step 210, the loyalty server 110 sends no, some or all of theinformation related to the fingerprint to the loyalty agent 114, or thepayment agent 120. The loyalty server 110 may be responsible forcommunication with the card mapping database 116, and the loyalty server110 may simply send the loyalty system account identifier to the loyaltyagent 114 or the payment agent 120 for further input from the customer.The loyalty server 110 may be configured in all instances to sendconfirmation that the loyalty system account information is valid to theloyalty agent 114, or the payment agent 120. In example embodiments inwhich the loyalty server 110 sends information in excess of avalidation, the loyalty server 110 may transmit, for example, a loyaltybalance, an amount of loyalty entitlements to be gained as a result ofthe financial transaction, a redemption amount, terms and conditions,important notices, and so forth.

At step 212, the loyalty agent 114, in response to receiving theinformation in step 210, may, via the user interface 202, prompt for anupdated amount of the financial transaction.

The request in step 212 may prompt, through the user interface 202, aloyalty redemption amount to be deducted from the loyalty balance. Aswill be discussed in relation to FIG. 3 , if, for example, the customeraccount has sufficient loyalty pursuant to a particular loyalty systemadministered by loyalty account database 112, the user interface 202 mayreceive a request to convert those points into a cash equivalent andupdate the amount of the financial transaction to reflect the loyaltyredemption amount that is deducted. In cases in which the loyalty systemprovides for non-monetary loyalty, the updated amount of the financialtransaction will be the amount of the financial transaction.

Referring again to FIG. 2 , if the user interface 202 receives input notto redeem loyalty entitlements, shown as step 214, the updated amount ofthe financial transaction is the same as the amount of the financialtransaction, and the allocation request may be referred to as anaccumulation transaction.

It may be that steps 212 and 214 are optional, in the case of a customeraccount related to a fingerprint not having any loyalty to redeem, suchthat the loyalty agent 114, upon receiving the information in step 210,is able to determine that the updated amount of the financialtransaction without further input.

At step 216, the loyalty agent 114 sends a message to payment agent 120with the updated amount of the financial transaction. For example, thefirst message may include the amount and a request to complete thefinancial transaction.

At step 218, the payment agent 120 sends a payment authorization requestto the payment processing server 108 for authorization of the amount ofthe financial transaction.

At step 220, the payment agent 120 receives a response to the paymentauthorization request that the amount of the financial transaction hasbeen authorized.

At step 222, in response to receiving the authorization at step 220, thepayment agent 120 may be configured to notify the loyalty agent 114 thatthe financial transaction has been authorized.

At step 224, the loyalty agent 114 receives the notification ofauthorization, and the loyalty agent 114 transmits data representativeof the amount of the financial transaction to the loyalty server 110.The transmission can be a request to the loyalty server 110 to allocateto loyalty the loyalty system account based on the amount of thefinancial transaction or the updated amount of the financialtransaction. In the example of an accumulation transaction, the updatedamount of the financial transaction is the same as the amount of thefinancial transaction, and the loyalty system account will accrueentitlements in the loyalty system based on the financial transaction.

In response to receiving the data in step 224, the loyalty server 110may be configured to communicate the data to the loyalty accountdatabase 112 and similarly request that the loyalty account database 112update the customer information stored therein. Similarly, the loyaltyserver 110 may determine an updated loyalty balance due to the amount ofthe financial transaction, and transmit same to the payment agent 120,via the loyalty agent 114 or directly.

As noted above, in it may be that the loyalty agent 114 receives, atstep 210, loyalty system account information including a loyalty balanceand an updated loyalty balance due to the amount of the financialtransaction. If the loyalty agent 114 does receive information regardingthe balance or other changes in the loyalty system account information,the loyalty agent 114 may output at least the loyalty balance to a userinterface 202 of the POS terminal 106. It may be that the loyaltybalance is provided in step 210, and the loyalty agent 114 may determinean updated loyalty balance due to the amount of the financialtransaction

At step 226, the loyalty agent 114 outputs the loyalty balance to theuser interface 202. In example embodiments, the user interface 202 islocated remote to the POS terminal 106 and outputting includes utilizingthe capabilities of the system operating the user interface 202. Theloyalty balance may be an updated loyalty balance due to the amount ofthe financial transaction received from the loyalty server 110, asdescribed above. Outputting may include a physical notification. Forexample, if the user interface 202 is on a cell phone, outputting mayinclude buzzing a tactile feedback module at a particular rate toindicate that loyalty are available. Outputting may include digitalnotifications, such as a message, text, phone call, etc.

Whereas FIG. 2 illustrates an example embodiment including the paymentintegrated loyalty system 100 being operated to accrue loyalty, FIG. 3is a flow diagram showing messages within the payment integrated loyaltysystem 100 to redeem loyalty entitlements according to method 300 (FIG.3 ).

Step 304 occurs similarly to step 204 described above, step 306 occurssimilarly to step 206 described above, step 308 occurs similarly to step208 described above, step 310 occurs similarly to step 310 describedabove, step 312 occurs similarly to step 212 described above withrespect to FIG. 2 .

At step 314, the loyalty agent 114 receives a response with at least aloyalty redemption amount. The loyalty redemption amount is based on theloyalty balance, and can include some or all of the loyalty balanceavailable for redemption. The customer may be able to use loyaltyentitlements more efficiently. The loyalty agent 114 may be configuredto determine the updated amount of the financial transaction based onthe loyalty redemption amount. For example, a customer may wish to useonly half of the available entitlements, based on a cash conversion rateof the entitlements, resulting in the loyalty redemption amount that ishalf of a maximum redemption amount. It may be that the customer is onlypresented with the option to redeem all of the loyalty.

In example embodiments the customer account contains multiple loyaltysystems registrations, and the user interface 202 requests input as towhich loyalty system amounts to use.

At step 316, the loyalty agent 114 sends a first message to the paymentagent 120 with an updated loyalty balance due to the amount of thefinancial transaction and/or the loyalty redemption amount. The updatedamount of the financial transaction reflects the loyalty redemptionamount that is deducted. As with step 216, the first message may containa variety of information in addition to the updated amount of thefinancial transaction.

Step 318 occurs similarly to step 218 described above, step 320 occurssimilarly to step 220 described above, step 322 occurs similarly to step222 described above in a manner similar to FIG. 2 .

In example embodiments, not shown, steps 316, 318, 320, and 322 areperformed prior to receiving an updated amount of the financialtransaction. In such examples, steps 304, 306, 308, 310, 312, and 314are carried out subsequent to the financial transaction beingauthorized.

At step 324, the loyalty agent 114 may provide the loyalty server 110,with the updated amount of the financial transaction based on theredemption amount. If the loyalty server 110 is operated by the thirdparty loyalty system, the loyalty server 110 will update loyalty accountdatabase 112. In examples in which the loyalty processor 10 is operatedby the payment integrated loyalty system 100, the loyalty server 110 maysend the request to allocate to the loyalty account database 112. Inboth examples, the loyalty agent 114 may be configured to update theloyalty account database 118. The redemption of loyalty will typicallyresult in the user interface 202 loyalty system account losing rewardentitlements or purchasing power.

Step 326 of method 300 is carried out similar to step 226 in FIG. 2 .

In an alternate example, the fingerprint is a card token (separate froma transaction specific card token) generated by the payment processingserver 108 and received by the payment agent 120 of the POS terminal106. For example, the financial instrument identifier is transmitted bythe payment agent 120 of the POS terminal 106 to the payment processingserver 108, the payment processing server 108 calculates the hash basedon the financial instrument identifier to generate the fingerprint, andthe payment processing server 108 transmits the fingerprint to thepayment agent 120 of the POS terminal 106. The returned fingerprint canthen be transmitted by the POS terminal 106 to the loyalty server 110 atstep 208. The payment processing server 108, in example embodiments,performs one-way encryption, hashing, or generates a 1:1 allocationtable, from the payment instrument identifier to generate the cardtoken. In such an example, the authorized transaction may be requiredprior to the request for allocation. In example embodiments, the paymentprocessing server 108 is configured to generate and provide thefingerprint to the payment agent 120 or POS terminal 106 in response toa request to complete the financial transaction. In a further example,the payment agent 120 or POS terminal 106 is required to send a requestfor a fingerprint separate from the request to complete the financialtransaction in order to receive a fingerprint.

The payment agent 120 or the POS terminal 106 may be configured torequest and retain a transaction specific card token, generated by thepayment processing server 108, in order to facilitate after thetransaction loyalty redemption, as discussed in relation to FIG. 15 .

Reference is now made to FIG. 4 , which illustrates a flow diagram of anexample method 400 showing messages within the payment integratedloyalty system to register a customer, in accordance with an exampleembodiment.

As with FIG. 3 , steps 404, 406, and 408 occur in a manner similar tosteps 204, 206 and 208 in response to a request to complete thefinancial transaction.

At step 410, the loyalty agent 114 receives from the loyalty server 110,an indication that there is no customer account associated with thefingerprint provided in step 408. In embodiments the loyalty agent 114is responsible for querying the card mapping database 116, and theresponse in step 410 may indicate that there is no loyalty systemaccount identifier matching the loyalty system account identifier foundin the card mapping database 116. The response may positively confirmthat there is no related customer account.

In example embodiments, described in further detail below, the loyaltyagent 114 may request that the loyalty server 110 create an unregisteredcustomer account having the fingerprint upon receipt of the response instep 410. In the example embodiment shown, the loyalty agent 114proceeds to complete the financial transaction prior to registering thecustomer in the payment integrated loyalty system 100.

At step 412, the loyalty agent 114 sends a message to the payment agent120 with the updated amount of the financial transaction, which inmethod 400 is the amount of the financial transaction. The messagerequests that the payment agent 120 complete the financial transaction.As with step 212, the first message may or may not contain furtherinformation.

Steps 414, 416 and 418 are carried out in a manner similar to steps 218,220 and 222, to complete the financial transaction.

At step 420, the fingerprint is associated with a loyalty profile thatis not associated with any customer account in the payment integratedloyalty system 100, being an unregistered account. The loyalty profilethat is not associated with any customer account can accumulate aloyalty balance based on subsequent financial transactions. In exampleembodiments, the current loyalty balance of the loyalty profile that isnot associated with any customer account can accumulated from one ormore previous financial transactions that were allocated to the loyaltyprofile and not any customer account.

In examples embodiments the loyalty server 110 is administered by athird party loyalty system, and the loyalty agent 114 may determine therelevant loyalty server 110 to send the request based on pre-configuredrules. For example, the loyalty agent 114 may be configured to send thisrequest to the loyalty program of the merchant conducting the financialtransaction. In example embodiments, the loyalty agent 114 may be awareof the loyalty servers 110 that are applicable to the financialtransaction, and send the request only to those loyalty servers 110. Theloyalty agent 114 may send the request to all loyalty servers 110 ofwhich it is aware.

In example embodiments, a loyalty server 110 operator may set limits onthe amount of, and use of, loyalty entitlements accrued by anunregistered account. For example, the loyalty profile may be configuredto accrue loyalty entitlements up to the maximum specified by therelevant loyalty server 110. In example embodiments, different loyaltyservers 110 or loyalty providers (i.e. retailers) may disallowredemption of loyalty entitlements accruing to unregistered accounts.

At step 422, the loyalty agent 114 receives the response from theloyalty server 110. In example embodiments the request in step 420 wassent to multiple first servers 110, and the loyalty agent 114 mayreceive multiple responses. The response can include the requiredregistration information to register the customer into a loyalty systemadministrated by the respective loyalty server 110. In exampleembodiments the loyalty server 110 is administered by the paymentintegrated loyalty system 100, and the response may include requiredregistration information for the payment integrated loyalty system 100as well as particular loyalty systems.

The required registration information may include mandatory parametersand elective parameters. For example, the required information may havemandatory parameters such as name and address and elective parameterssuch as contact number. In example embodiments, the requiredregistration information includes information that the customer isrequired to agree or consent to, including for example terms andconditions.

The response may include an estimated loyalty balance based on thefinancial transaction. For example, the response may include anestimated loyalty balance that includes a promotional entitlement, abonus entitlement, a sign-up bonus, and so forth.

At step 424, the loyalty agent 114 prompts for, through the userinterface 202, whether a new customer account or an existing customeraccount is to be associated with the fingerprint. The prompt may includea request for the customer to join the at least one loyalty systemsidentified in step 422. In example embodiments, prompt includes a listof loyalty systems the customer is able to join, the requiredregistration information, and the expected or updated loyalty balancebased on the financial transaction or other information that wouldinfluence a customer to join a loyalty system.

In some examples, the required registration information includes contactinformation. The loyalty agent 114 may be configured to receive contactinformation from the customer interface in order to complete or allow aloyalty system registration at a later time. The contact information mayinclude any one of an email, phone number, app contact information (suchas Instagram™ or Facebook™ account identifier), and so forth.

At step 426, the loyalty agent 114 receives a response indicating thatthe customer wishes to register in at least one of the loyalty systems.

In example embodiments, the request in step 424 is limited to possibleloyalty systems that the customer may register to based on the financialtransaction. For example, the user interface 202 may be configured toprovide only certain loyalty system registrations during promotionalperiods. If the request is limited by only certain reward systems, atstep 432, the loyalty agent 114 requests, in a manner similar to step424, the required registration information from the customer. Asdescribed above, the required registration information may be contactinformation for completing registration at a later time.

The request, pursuant to steps 424 and/or 432, may include contactinformation of the at least one loyalty server 110. As a result, at step430 the customer via the user interface 202, may communicate directlywith the loyalty server 110 to provide completed required registrationinformation, bypassing the loyalty server 110. The required registrationinformation may be contact information to be used for a laterregistration, for example pursuant to FIG. 10 described below. Inexample embodiments, the completed required registration information isprovided to the loyalty agent 114 which passes the information to the atleast one loyalty server 110.

In example embodiments, not shown, the payment agent 120 at step 430transmits, to the loyalty server 110, data indicative of the newcustomer or account or the existing customer account for the loyaltyserver 110 to associate the fingerprint with the new customer account orthe existing customer account.

At step 432, based on the completed required registration information,the loyalty server 110 is configured to send the user interface 202 aregistration notification. The registration notification may require thecustomer take a confirmation action to finalize a registration to the atleast one loyalty systems. For example, the registration notificationmay provide the user interface 202 with a customized uniform resourcelocator (URL), which the customer is required to click through as theconfirmation action to complete the registration. In exampleembodiments, the confirmation action may include the actions outlined inFIG. 10 below. In example embodiments the confirmation action isperformed at a later time, and the registration notification may becommunicated wirelessly, for example via a text, an email, a phone call,app communication, etc. to a different user interface 202, such as thecustomers wireless device, based on the contact information providedpreviously, as described above.

Whereas FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 illustrate example embodiments include thepayment instrument 104 being used with the POS terminal 106 at a vendorpremises, FIGS. 5, 6, 7 and 8 describe example embodiments of thepayment integrated loyalty system 100 which include the customer using apersonal computing device (or user equipment) as the POS terminal 106 byaccessing a web-browser, a payment website, loading a dedicated POSapplication, etc. In some examples, the personal computing device can bea mobile communication device.

Reference is now made to FIG. 5 , which is a flow diagram of an examplemethod 500 showing messages within the payment integrated loyalty system100 to accumulate loyalty entitlements, in accordance with an exampleembodiment. At step 502, the user interface 202 provides the loyaltyagent 114 with the payment instrument identifier of payment instrument104 and at least the amount of the financial transaction. In FIG. 5 ,the user interface 202 is located on a personal computing device that isoperating as the POS terminal 106. The loyalty agent 114 may beconfigured to receive the payment instrument identifier and the amountof the financial transaction from the user interface 202 via an API, orother plug-in functionality. For example, the loyalty agent 114 may beintegrated with a web-browser, accessed via user equipment, a paymentwebsite, and so forth.

The loyalty agent 114 at step 502 receives information that directs theloyalty agent 114 to communicate with a particular payment agent 120.The payment agent 120 may be any instance of an agent on the personalcomputing device communicating with the payment processing server 108 tocomplete the financial transaction. The particular payment agent 120 maybe specified by the user interface 202 or merchant pursuant to thefinancial transaction. For example, a user interface 202 may becompleting the financial transaction via an online website that requiresa specific payment agent 120.

At step 504, the loyalty agent 114 sends a request to the payment agent120 to generate the fingerprint based on the payment instrumentidentifier. For example, the fingerprint may be the returned card tokenfrom the payment processing server 108, which is unique to the paymentinstrument identifier. The payment agent 120 in step 504 operatessimilar to the payment agent 120 in step 302.

In an alternative example, the payment agent 120 may be embedded in, forexample, a website (not shown), and where the payment agent 120 embeddedin the website communicates with the payment processing server 108 toobtain the fingerprint.

Steps 506, 508, 510, 512, 514, 516, 518, 520, 522, 524, and 526 areperformed similarly to steps 206, 208, 210, 212, 214, 216, 218, 220,222, 224, 226, respectively, as they are described as being performed inaccordance with FIG. 2 .

FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an example method 600 showing messageswithin the payment integrated loyalty system 100 to redeem loyaltyentitlements, in accordance with an example embodiment. The loyaltyagent 114 performs steps 602 and 604, which are analogous to steps 502and 504 in FIG. 5 . Steps 606, 608, 610, 612, 614, 616, 618, 620, 622,and 624 are performed in a manner similar to steps 206, 208, 210, 212,314, 316, 218, 220, 222, 324, and 226, respectively, are performed asset out in FIG. 3 .

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of an example method 700 showing messageswithin the payment integrated loyalty system 100 to register a customer,in accordance with an example embodiment. Steps 702 and 704 areperformed, which are analogous to steps 502 and 504 in FIG. 5 . Steps706, 708, 710, 712, 714, 716, 718, 720, 722, 724, 726, 728, 730, and 732are performed in a manner similar to steps 208, 410, 412, 218, 220, 222,420, 422, 424, 426, 432, 430, and 432, respectively, are performed asset out in FIG. 4 .

Reference is now made to FIG. 8 , which shows a flow diagram of anexample method 800 showing messages within the payment integratedloyalty system 100 to link the payment card 105, in accordance with anexample embodiment. The method 800 may be performed subsequent to acustomer signing up for the payment integrated loyalty system 100pursuant to FIG. 7 , for example.

At step 802, the user interface 202 provides the loyalty agent 114 withthe payment instrument identifier of a payment instrument 104 that doesnot have a fingerprint registered with the payment integrated loyaltysystem 100. The customer, through user interface 202, requests that theloyalty agent 114 register the payment instrument 104 fingerprint withan existing customer account.

Steps 804 and 806 are performed similar to steps 504 and 206 as they aredescribed in connection with FIG. 5 . In example embodiments, thepayment agent 120 is a server (not shown here) operated by the paymentintegrated loyalty system 100, in communication with the loyalty agent114.

At step 808, the loyalty agent 114 requests that the loyalty server 110update the existing customer account with the fingerprint. Step 808 mayinclude the loyalty agent 114 requesting that the loyalty server 110link the particular fingerprint to a particular loyalty system, forexample linking the fingerprint as a default fingerprint for all loyaltysystems, or as a default fingerprint for some but not all loyaltysystems. In some example embodiments a customer may wish to alterdefault or preferred fingerprints for particular loyalty systems inorder to accrue/redeem loyalty entitlements for a preferred loyaltysystems, maximizing those reward entitlements. As well, for example,using a credit card payment instrument 104 at the POS terminal 106within a particular retailer may lead to greater loyalty entitlementsunder loyalty system A as compared to loyalty system B.

Optionally, at step 810, the loyalty agent 114 may notify the customervia user interface 202 that the customer account has been updated toinclude the payment instrument 104. As described in relation with step226, the notification may be performed by the user interface 202comprising a variety of output modules, include for example a printingmodule to print a receipt, and so forth.

Reference is now to FIG. 9 , which illustrates a flow diagram of anexample method 900 showing messages within the payment integratedloyalty system 100 to register for a loyalty system, in accordance withan example embodiment. In example embodiments, the method 900 isperformed subsequent to methods 500 or 800 for signing up a customer.

At step 902, a user interface 202 establishes communication with aloyalty agent 114 to request to update a customer account. The requestto update the customer account may include of a customized URL, receivedfor example pursuant to steps 432, which may include the relevantloyalty server 110 for the request, and the relevant unregisteredaccount stored in the card mapping database 412. In example embodiments,the request to update the customer account may include a request toaccess to a general registration process provided by the loyalty agent114, for example via the Internet. If the loyalty agent 114 is operatedon the POS terminal 106, the request to update the customer account maybe selecting an option to register on the POS terminal 106.

In example embodiments, described below in greater detail in regards toFIG. 10 , the user interface 202 may allow a customer to proceed withthe method 1000 in which the user interface 202 receives an input toregister, at the loyalty agent 114, additional fingerprints to anexisting customer account. Pursuant to method 1100, described below ingreater detail, the user interface 202 may establish communication withthe loyalty agent 114 for adding at least one loyalty system account toan existing customer account. In example embodiments, the user interface202 may allow a customer to register the fingerprint to all loyaltysystems the existing customer account is associated with. In exampleembodiments, the loyalty agent 114 automatically enrolls the addedfingerprint to all loyalty systems the existing customer account isassociated with.

Referring again to the FIG. 9 , in some examples, the communication isestablished by the user interface 202 sending a request to access a URLor accessing a customer sign-up website via the computing device (notshown) operating the user interface 202. The URL may be customized forthe particular purpose that the user interface 202 intends tocommunicate with loyalty agent 114, for example a registration for aparticular customer account. In example embodiments, the customer, viathe user interface 202, is provided or guided to choose from a list ofavailable URLs to establish the communication. For example, the userinterface 202 may receive a selection to register to a particularloyalty program via a customized URL in order to increase the speed ofregistration.

At step 904, the loyalty agent 114 sends the request to update acustomer account to the loyalty server 110. The loyalty server 110 mayvalidate the customized URL received from the loyalty agent 114. Theloyalty server 110 may store the customized URL as part of the loyaltysystem account. Similarly, the loyalty agent 114 may store thecustomized URL as part of the customer account.

At step 906, the loyalty server 110 sends the loyalty agent 114confirmation of having received the valid URL.

At step 908, the loyalty agent 114 requests from the customer via theuser interface 202 whether to access an existing customer account or tocreate a new customer account. The request may include prompting theuser interface 202 on a display screen of a computing device such as amobile device, POS terminal 106, computer or the like. In exampleembodiments, the request to update a customer account may includeinformation that a customer is already registered, such that step 908 isnot performed.

At step 910 the loyalty agent 114 receives a registration requestconfirmation from the user interface 202. In example embodiments, shownfor example in FIG. 10 , the loyalty agent 114 pulls the requiredregistration information from the loyalty server 110.

At step 912, the loyalty server 110 provides the loyalty agent 114 withthe required registration information. For example, similar to thedescription of step 424 in FIG. 5 , the required registrationinformation may indicate that a name, postal card, payment cardinformation, accepting terms and conditions, customer name and passwordare required. The payment instrument identifier is not provided to theloyalty server 110.

In some examples, as shown in step 912, the loyalty agent 114 sends arequest for the required registration information to the loyalty server110 and awaits a response. In some examples, the required registrationinformation may have been provided in a previous step, for example step422.

At step 914, and 916, similar to steps 432 and 430, the loyalty agent114 requests and receives completed required registration informationfrom the customer via the user interface 202.

The required registration information may include the agreeing of termsand conditions. In example embodiments, the required registrationinformation can include information required to register for the paymentintegrated loyalty system 100 that was not collected previously, forexample in step 432. In the cases which include step 432 collectingcontact information, the required registration information may requireadditional information such as a name, address and so forth. In exampleembodiments, the required registration information is based on requiredregistration information for loyalty systems (not shown) such that thepayment integrated loyalty system 100 can register the customer to aloyalty system with the information requested in step 914 at a laterdate.

At step 916, the loyalty agent 114 receives a response to the request instep 914 with the completed required registration information from theuser interface 202. In the event that the user interface 202 does notprovide the completed required registration information, the loyaltyagent 114 may prompt the user interface 202 for further information, ormay terminate the process altogether.

At step 918, the loyalty agent 114 transmits a request to the loyaltyserver 110 data indicative of the new customer or account for theloyalty server 110 to associate the fingerprint with the new customeraccount or the existing customer account. The loyalty agent 114 convertsthe unregistered customer account, created for example pursuant to step420, into a full or regular account with the completed registrationinformation. In response to receiving the request in step 918, theloyalty server 110 may be configured to update the customer accountstored in the card mapping database 116.

At steps 920 and 922, the loyalty agent 114 provides the fingerprint andrequired registration information, received pursuant to step 916,respectively, to the loyalty server 110. Steps 918, 920, and 922 mayoccur simultaneously, and steps 920 and 922 may occur in any order.

At step 924, in response to performing any of steps 918, 920, and 922,the loyalty agent 114 may provide a notification to a customer, via theuser interface 202, that the registration has been completed. Forexample, the notification may include a text message, phone call, oremail, etc. If the loyalty agent 114 and the user interface 202 areoperated by the POS terminal 106, the notification may include forexample printing a receipt, displaying a message, and so forth.

The customer may be registered with the payment integrated loyaltysystem 100 and initiate a financial transaction with a paymentinstrument 104 that is not registered with the payment integratedloyalty system 100.

Reference is now made to FIG. 10 , which shows a flow diagram of anexample method 1000 showing messages within the payment integratedloyalty system 100 to link a payment card 105, in accordance with anexample embodiment.

Steps 1002, 1004, 1006, and 1008 are performed analogous to steps 902,904, 906 and 908, respectively, as set out in relation to FIG. 9 .

At step 1010, the loyalty agent 114 receives a response to access anexisting customer account in the payment integrated loyalty system 100.The response to access an existing customer account can include providedlogin information, such as a customer name, password, PIN, or the like.

At step 1012, the loyalty agent 114 provides the provided logininformation to the loyalty server 110. The loyalty server 110 determineswhether the provided login information matches login information storedwith respect to the customer account, for example in the customeraccount database 118. In example embodiments, the loyalty server 110queries the card mapping database 116 in order to determine whether theprovided login information matches the stored login information.

At step 1014, the loyalty server 110, in response to determining thatthe provided login information does match login information stored withrespect to the customer account, sends confirmation of login to theloyalty agent 114.

If the loyalty server 110 determines that the provided login informationdoes not match login information stored with respect to the customeraccount, the loyalty server 110 may notify the loyalty agent 114 of afailed login or not respond. In response to receiving the failed login,the loyalty agent 114 may notify the customer via user interface 202 ofthe failed login or terminate the process.

At step 1016, similar to step 920, the loyalty agent 114 sends theloyalty server 110 the fingerprint, as generated in step 206, forexample, with a request to link the fingerprint to the customer accountcorresponding to the provided login information. The loyalty server 110may be configured to query the card mapping database 116 to update thecustomer account with the information received in step 1016.

At step 1018, the loyalty agent 114 may provide a notification to thecustomer via the user interface 202 that the customer account has beenupdated with the fingerprint for the payment instrument 104 used tocomplete the financial transaction.

A customer may in some examples wish to add a loyalty system account toan existing customer account within the payment integrated loyaltysystem 100. Reference is now made to FIG. 11 , which shows a flowdiagram of an example embodiment 1100 showing messages within thepayment integrated loyalty system 100 to register for a loyalty system.Method 1100 may be carried out if, for example at step 426, the loyaltyagent 114 received a request to join a particular loyalty system.

Step 1102 and 1104 are carried analogous to steps 902 and 904, as setout herein.

The loyalty server 110 determines the customer account related to therequest received in step 1104.

At step 1106, the loyalty server 110 notifies the loyalty agent 114 thatthe customer account received in relation to the request received instep 1104 exists. The notification may include required registrationinformation for the selected loyalty system. For example, the loyaltyserver 110 may provide the loyalty agent 114 with the Air Miles(TM)specific terms and conditions be agreed to in order to completeregistration.

At steps 1108 and 1110, similar to steps 914 and 916, the loyalty agent114 requests and receives the completed required registrationinformation for the selected loyalty system from the user interface 202.

At step 1112, the loyalty agent 114 sends a request to the loyaltyserver 110 to register the identified customer account for the selectedloyalty system with the completed required registration information forthe selected loyalty system received in step 1110.

At step 1114, the loyalty agent 114 may provide a notification that theregistration to the selected loyalty system has been completed to theuser interface 202, similar to step 1022.

In example embodiments, the loyalty agent 104 may determine that afingerprint is associated with an existing customer account, but notwith the loyalty system of the operator of the POS terminal 106, and inresponse automatically perform steps 1104, 1106, 1108, 1110, 1112, and1114 to register a customer to the loyalty system of the operator of thePOS terminal 106 with existing registration information in the customeraccount. For example, a customer may be automatically enrolled with theloyalty system of the operator of the POS terminal 106 without the needto fill in a registration form by submitting customer login or customeridentification information.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show example embodiments of the payment integratedloyalty system 100 operating in an alternate method as compared to FIGS.2 and 3 , respectively.

Reference is now made to FIG. 13 , which shows a flow diagram of anexample method 1300 showing messages within the payment integratedloyalty system to accumulate loyalty entitlements, in accordance with anexample embodiment.

Method 1300 performs steps 1302, 1304 and 1306 similar to steps 204,218, and 220, respectively, as set out in the description in regards toFIG. 2 , prior to contacting the loyalty agent 114. Step 1302 in method1300 may include information specifying that the customer is seeking toaccumulate loyalty.

At step 1308, the loyalty agent 114 receives the financial transactionauthorization from the payment agent 120. In example embodiments, step1308 includes the loyalty agent 114 receiving the fingerprint from thepayment agent 120.

As described to above, in example embodiments, the fingerprint may begenerated based on the card token returned by the payment processingserver 108 to the payment agent 120.

At steps 1310, 1312, and 1314, steps 208, 210, 224, respectively, ofFIG. 2 are followed as described therein. For clarity, the loyalty agent114, provides the fingerprint to the loyalty server 110, receives thecustomer account information, including the loyalty balance from theloyalty server 110, and requests that the customer account allocateloyalty, based on the amount of the financial transaction

In method 1300, the loyalty agent 114 may be configured to again requestthe customer account information from the loyalty server 110, includingthe updated loyalty balance, in step 1316.

At step 1318, similar to step 226 of FIG. 2 , the loyalty agent 114outputs the updated loyalty balance to the user interface 202.

Referring to FIG. 14 , an example method 1400 is shown of performing theredemption transaction in the payment integrated loyalty system 100,according to example embodiments.

Steps 1402, 1404, 1406, 1408, 1410, and 1412 are carried out in a mannersimilar to steps 204, 218, 220, 1306, 208, and 210 as set out herein.Step 1402 in the example of method 1400 includes a request to redeemloyalty entitlements.

At step 1414, 1418, 1420, and 1422, analogous steps 422, 428, 434, and436, respectively, are performed as described herein.

FIG. 15 is a block diagram of the payment integrated loyalty systemoperating in accordance with method 1500.

At step 1502, pursuant to the financial transaction the POS terminal 106receives the payment instrument identifier of payment instrument 104from the user interface 202. The user interface 202, as described above,may receive the payment instrument identifier from a customer devicethat is not a payment instrument 104, such as a mobile device loadedwith a dedicated application, sometimes referred to as a “mobilewallet.”

The payment instrument identifier can include any one, in anycombination, a primary account number (PAN), a credit card number, andso forth.

At step 1504, the POS terminal 106 receives the amount of the financialtransaction. As described above, the amount of the financial transactioncan be provided to the POS terminal 106 via a user interface 202, whichuser interface 202 may in part be operated by a merchant.

In example embodiments, steps 1502 and 1504 occur simultaneously. Thesteps 1502 and 1504 can also occur in any order relative to one another.

At step 1506, the POS terminal 106 one-way encrypts the paymentinstrument identifier received in step 1502 to generate the fingerprint.In example embodiments, as described above, the fingerprint is generatedbased on the payment instrument identifier without considering the cardtoken generated in response to the financial transaction beingauthorized.

One-way encrypting can include hashing the payment instrumentidentifier, salting the payment instrument identifier prior to hashingthe payment instrument identifier, concatenating other data oridentifiers prior to hashing, hashing data based on a transformed orcoded version of at least the payment instrument identifier, and soforth.

At step 1508, the POS terminal 106 transmits to a loyalty server 110,the fingerprint without transmitting the payment instrument identifier.The payment instrument identifier may be unknown to the first server,and/or the payment instrument identifier is inaccessible to the firstserver.

In example embodiments which include the POS terminal 106 receiving theamount of the financial transaction at step 1504 prior to step 1508, thePOS terminal 106 may be configured at step 1508 to transmit the datarepresentative of the amount of the financial transaction, prior to thereceiving, from the loyalty server 110, the loyalty balance associatedwith the fingerprint, as described below in greater detail. The datarepresentative of the amount of the financial transaction may includes aloyalty amount equivalent to the amount of the financial transaction.

At step 1510, the POS terminal 106 receives from the loyalty server 110a loyalty balance associated with the fingerprint. The received loyaltybalance may reflect an updated loyalty balance due to the amount of thefinancial transaction if the data representative of the amount of thefinancial transaction is provided to the loyalty server 110 prior toreceiving the loyalty balance. The received loyalty balance may simplyreflect the current loyalty balance prior to the financial transactionof the customer account associated with the fingerprint.

It may be that at step 1510, the POS terminal 106 receives, from theloyalty server 110, an indication that there is no customer accountassociated with the fingerprint. In such an example, the POS terminal106 may prompt, through the user interface 202, whether a new customeraccount or an existing customer account is to be associated with thefingerprint. If the POS terminal 106 receives a response to the request,the POS terminal 106 may be configured to transmit, to the loyaltyserver 110, data indicative of the new customer or account or theexisting customer account for the loyalty server 110 to associate thefingerprint with the new customer account or the existing customeraccount.

At step 1512, the POS terminal 106 transmits, to the loyalty server 110,data representative of the amount of the financial transaction. In someexample embodiments, as indicated in FIG. 15 , step 1512 occurs afterboth steps 1504 and a loyalty balance has been received. It may be thatstep 1512 occurs subsequent to the POS terminal 106 receiving the amountof the financial transaction in step 1504. For example, the step 1512may occur at the same time as step 1508. In some examples, transmitting,to the loyalty server 110, the data representative of the amount of thefinancial transaction is performed in response to the receiving, fromthe payment processing server 108, a response to the paymentauthorization request that the amount of the financial transaction hasbeen authorized in step 1516, described below. In those examples, thereceived loyalty balance from the loyalty server 110, which may be sendsubsequent to the authorization in step 1516 and 1512, reflects anupdated loyalty balance due to the amount of the financial transaction.

At step 1514, the POS terminal 106 transmits to the payment processingserver 108, a payment authorization request for authorization of theamount of the financial transaction received at step 1504.

In example embodiments, the payment authorization request forauthorization of the amount of the financial transaction can be based ona loyalty redemption amount to be deducted from the loyalty balancereceived as a result of a prompt on the customer interface 102. Inexamples in which the prompt receives a response including the loyaltyredemption amount, the amount of the financial transaction reflects theloyalty redemption amount that is deducted and the payment authorizationrequest for authorization of the amount of the financial transaction isperformed in response to receiving the loyalty redemption amount fromthe prompting.

At step 1516, the POS terminal 106 receives from the payment processingserver 108, a response to the payment authorization request that theamount of the financial transaction has been authorized.

Referring again to step 1512, the POS terminal 106 may be configured toreceive, subsequent to sending the loyalty server 110 the datarepresentative of the amount of the financial transaction, an updatedloyalty balance due to the amount of the financial transaction from theloyalty server 110.

If the POS terminal 106 receives the loyalty balance, for example instep 1510, or an updated loyalty balance pursuant to steps 1512 followedby step 1510, the POS terminal 106 may be configured to output theloyalty balance to the user interface 202 of the POS terminal 106.

As is shown in FIG. 15 , steps 1502, 1504, 1514, and 1516 may beperformed at in parallel with steps 1502, 1506, 1508, and 1510.

Referring to FIG. 16A, an example method 1600 is shown of performing theredemption transaction or the accumulation transaction in the paymentintegrated loyalty system 100, according to example embodiments.

At step 1602, a merchant equipment 1654, which in example embodiments isa subsystem of the POS terminal 106, initiates the transaction with thePOS terminal operating system (O/S) 1656. As discussed herein, themerchant equipment 1654 may provide the POS terminal O/S 1656 thetransaction amount.

At step 1604, a customer using user equipment 1652 provides the POSterminal O/S 1656 the payment instrument identifier. The user equipment1652 may provide the payment instrument identifier via the smart card,for example.

At step 1606, the POS terminal O/S 1656 requests the fingerprint fromthe payment processing server 108.

At step 1608, the payment processing server 108 provides the fingerprintto the POS terminal O/S 1656.

At step 1610, the POS terminal O/S 1656 initiates or notifies theloyalty agent 114 to start a loyalty transaction and provides thefingerprint to the loyalty agent 114.

At step 1612, the loyalty agent 114 requests, from the loyalty server110, information related to the payment integrated loyalty accountrelated to the fingerprint. The information may be similar to theinformation described in relation to step 210.

At step 1614, the loyalty agent 114 receives, from the loyalty server110, information related to the payment integrated loyalty accountrelated to the fingerprint.

At step 1616, the POS terminal O/S 1656, via the user interface 202,requests a selection. The request may include the availabletransactions, such as the redemption transaction, and the accumulationtransaction. For example, where the payment integrated loyalty systemaccount associated with the fingerprint does not have a loyalty balanceto support a redemption transaction, a redemption transaction will notbe included in the request.

At step 1618A, the POS terminal O/S 1656, via the user interface 202,receives a request for an accumulation transaction, and at step 1620Anotifies the POS terminal O/S 1656 that the amount of the financialtransaction is updated to be unchanged.

At step 1618B, the POS terminal O/S 1656, via the user interface 202,receives a request for a redemption transaction, and at step 1620Bupdates the amount of the financial transaction at the POS terminal O/S1656, based on the received request for a redemption transaction, whichmay include an amount of loyalty balance to apply to the financialtransaction.

Method 1600 is continued in FIG. 16B.

At step 1622, the POS terminal O/S 1656 requests security informationrequired to complete the financial transaction. For example, the POSterminal O/S 1656 may require a signature of the customer.

At step 1624, the POS terminal O/S 1656 receives the required securityinformation.

Steps 1626, and 1628 are analogous to steps 518 and 520 in FIG. 5 .

At step 1630, the POS terminal O/S 1656 notifies the loyalty agent 114that the financial transaction has been successful completed.

Steps 1632, and 1634 are analogous to steps 522, and 524 in FIG. 5 .

At step 1636, the POS terminal O/S 1656 requests a receipt preference.The request may include the options of a printed receipt, a digitalreceipt (such as an email receipt), a a notification via SMS that thetransaction has been completed, or no receipt at all.

At step 1638, the POS terminal O/S 1656 receives a receipt preference.

Referring to FIG. 17 , an example method 1700 is shown of performing theredemption transaction or the accumulation transaction in the paymentintegrated loyalty system 100, according to example embodiments.

Steps 1702, 1704, 1706, 1708, 1710, and 1712 are performed analogous tosteps 1602, 1604, 1606, 1608, 1610, and 1612 in FIG. 16 .

At step 1714, the POS terminal O/S 1656 receives a response from theloyalty server 110 that there is no account associated with thefingerprint.

At step 1716, the loyalty agent 114 provides, via the user interface202, an offer to join the payment integrated loyalty system 100, similarto step 724 in FIG. 7 . The offer may require a response with customercontact information in order to complete the registration.

At step 1718B, the loyalty agent 114 receives a refusal, and the method1700 can proceed and complete the steps in FIG. 16B using an anonymousaccount, as described herein.

At step 1718A, the loyalty agent 114 receives a request to join thepayment integrated loyalty system 100. The request to join, asdiscussed, includes customer contact information.

At step 1720, the loyalty agent 114 provides the customer contactinformation to the loyalty server 110.

At step 1722, the loyalty server 110 provides to the user equipment 1652of the customer, via the user interface 202, means to complete theregistration to the payment integrated loyalty system 100 at a latertime. The means may comprise a URL leading to a registration link.

The method 1700 may proceed and complete the steps in FIG. 16B theregistered account, as described herein.

In example embodiments the payment integrated loyalty system 100 may beconfigured to account for reversed financial transactions. Reference isnow made to FIG. 19 which shows a method 1900 of using the paymentintegrated loyalty system 100 in response to reversed transactions inaccordance with another example embodiment.

Steps 1902, 1904, and 1906 are carried out similar to steps 1402, 1404,and 1406, however the transaction in FIG. 19 is a reverse transaction.In example embodiments, the reverse transaction is a refund, partialrefund, or credit. For example, a reverse transaction may be initiatedin response to a customer request to return an item.

At step 1908, the loyalty agent 114 receives the fingerprint associatedwith the payment instrument, and a notification that the reversetransaction has been confirmed. In example embodiments, the loyaltyagent 114 may determine that the loyalty balance of the customer accountshould be reduced in response to determining that notification indicatesthat a transaction which led to loyalty entitlements being accrued hasbeen reversed. In example embodiments, the loyalty agent 114 maydetermine the loyalty balance of the customer account should beincreased in response to determining that the transaction which led toloyalty entitlements being spent has been reversed.

Steps 1910 and 1912 are performed analogous to steps 1410 and 1412 bythe loyalty agent 114 to determine the customer account associated withthe fingerprint. In example embodiments, the loyalty agent 114 may usethe information received in step 1912, including the loyalty balance, todetermine an updated loyalty balance as a result of the reversedtransaction.

At step 1914, the loyalty agent 114 sends a request to the loyaltyserver 110 to update the loyalty balance of the customer accountassociated with the fingerprint based on the determination in step 1908.

At step 1916, the loyalty agent 114 displays the updated loyalty balanceresulting from the reverse transaction.

A payment integrated loyalty system 100 operated in accordance with themethods set out herein may allow for generalized loyalty system accessacross merchant locations and across different merchants that can beenabled using predominantly payment cards 105.

In the case of a security breach of the payment integrated loyaltysystem 100, for example, including the one-way encryption used togenerate fingerprints being compromised, it may become necessary tochange the salt and/or the hash algorithm itself, and therefore thefingerprints associated with the payment instrument 104. However,modifying the one-way encryption invalidates all stored fingerprints.

However, the payment integrated loyalty system 100 may be configured sothat as each customer makes a financial transaction subsequent to thebreach, they will be prompted as if they were using a new paymentinstrument 104 to add to their customer account. Over time, the databaseof card fingerprints will update as customers add updated fingerprints.

In another example embodiment, a re-fingerprint function may beimplemented in the event of a security breach. The re-printing functioncan include reverse looking up payment cards 105 based on an existingfingerprint and then generating an updated fingerprint for the paymentinstrument 104, and updating the stored fingerprint with the updatedfingerprint. The payment integrated loyalty system 100 can iteratethrough existing fingerprints, using the loyalty agent 114 for example,and generate new fingerprints based on a new encryption by, for examplechanging the hashing algorithm or changing the salting value or saltingalgorithm.

A payment integrated loyalty system 100 operated in accordance with themethods set out herein may allow for the same contactless experienceserving both loyalty and payment purposes.

A payment integrated loyalty system 100 operated in accordance with themethods set out herein may allow for more customer friendly, efficientsign up for loyalty systems. For example, a POS terminal 106, uponreceiving and sending the fingerprint to the loyalty agent 114, mayreceive a response from the loyalty agent 114 that the fingerprint isknown, as set out in step 1106 in relation to FIG. 11 above, but thatloyalty systems available from the POS terminal 106 are unregistered.The POS terminal 106 may prompt the customer to register to theavailable loyalty system(s), and utilize customer information stored inthe customer account database 118 to register the customer for theavailable loyalty system. In example embodiments, the customer is ableto register with a simple “one-click” action.

In example embodiments, payment integrated loyalty system 100 can allowa customer to redeem loyalty entitlements subsequent to the financialtransaction being completed. For example, referring to FIG. 13 , inexample embodiments, steps 204, 218 and 220 are completed, prior tosteps 208, 210, 212, and 314 from FIG. 3 being completed. The loyaltyagent 114 may then attempt to resubmit the financial transaction to thepayment processing server 108 for correction using the fingerprint and atransaction specific card token as a reference. The loyalty systementitlements would similarly the resubmitted to the loyalty server 110and identified by the fingerprint.

In example embodiments, merchants may install the loyalty system 114 tothe POS terminal 106 and passively register fingerprints with thepayments integrated loyalty system 100 without requiring customers toregister. The merchant may then be provided access to the unregisteredaccounts stored in the customer account database 118 to determinepotential customer adoption.

In examples which include a customer not having registered to thepayments integrated loyalty system 100 at a first instance, subsequentfinancial transactions by that customer using the payment instrument 104may continue to accumulate loyalty entitlements in the unregisteredaccount. The POS terminal 106 may be configured to prompt the customervia user interface 202 to register to the payments integrated loyaltysystem 100 during the subsequent financial transactions and allow thecustomer to receive the full loyalty entitlements accrued up to theregistration.

In example embodiments, the payment integrated loyalty system 100 isable to update (accumulate, redeem, and join) any loyalty systementitlement (either individual merchant or coalition) using a consumer'spayment instrument 104 at the point of purchase. The method may includethe generation of a non-reversible, one-way transformation of thepayment instrument identifier (cc, debit/Interac, electronic orphysical, or other types of payment method) mapped to a customer'sseries or particular loyalty account. The method may include a set ofone or more one-way hashes mapped to a single payment integrated loyaltysystem account. Unrecognized fingerprints for known payment integratedloyalty system accounts can get linked to existing accounts. The methodcan be implemented on the POS terminal 106, at the payment processorserver, or on a gateway or 3rd party host in between. The method maycomprise the payment instrument identifier not being known to thepayment integrated loyalty system.

In example embodiments, a method to accumulate loyalty entitlement in apayment integrated loyalty system (either individual merchant orcoalition) comprises receiving a payment instrument identifier at thepoint of purchase prior to a user joining the payment integrated loyaltysystem. The method may include the generation of a non-reversible,one-way transformation of the payment instrument identifier (cc,debit/Interac, electronic or physical, or other types of payment method)mapped to a customer's series or particular loyalty account. The methodmay include a set of one or more one-way hashes mapped to a singlepayment integrated loyalty system account. Unrecognized fingerprints forknown payment integrated loyalty system accounts can get linked toexisting accounts. The method can be implemented on the POS terminal106, at the payment processor server, or on a gateway or 3rd party hostin between, The method may comprise the payment instrument identifiernot being known to the payment integrated loyalty system. The method caninclude pre-accumulation of points being added to the customer'sunregistered account, and upon the customer registering for the paymentintegrated loyalty system adding the pre-accumulated points.

The steps and/or operations in the flowcharts and drawings describedherein are for purposes of example only. There may be many variations tothese steps and/or operations. For instance, the steps may be performedin a differing order, or steps may be added, deleted, or modified.

The coding of software for carrying out the above-described methodsdescribed is within the scope of a person of ordinary skill in the arthaving regard to the example embodiments. Machine-readable codeexecutable by one or more processors of one or more respective devicesto perform the above-described method may be stored in amachine-readable medium such as the memory of the data manager. Theterms “software” and “firmware” are interchangeable and include anycomputer program stored in memory for execution by a processor,comprising Random Access Memory (RAM) memory, Read Only Memory (ROM)memory, EPROM memory, electrically EPROM (EEPROM) memory, andnon-volatile RAM (NVRAM) memory. The above memory types are examplesonly, and are thus not limiting as to the types of memory usable forstorage of a computer program.

All values and sub-ranges within disclosed ranges are also disclosed.Also, although the systems, devices and processes disclosed and shownherein may include a specific plurality of elements, the systems,devices and assemblies may be modified to include additional or fewer ofsuch elements. Although several example embodiments are describedherein, modifications, adaptations, and other implementations arepossible. For example, substitutions, additions, or modifications may bemade to the elements illustrated in the drawings, and the examplemethods described herein may be modified by substituting, reordering, oradding steps to the disclosed methods.

Numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the example embodiments described herein. It will,however, be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that theexample embodiments described herein may be practiced without thesespecific details. Furthermore, well-known methods, procedures, andelements have not been described in detail so as not to obscure theexample embodiments described herein. The subject matter describedherein and in the recited claims intends to cover and embrace allsuitable changes in technology.

The example embodiments are described at least in part in terms ofmethods, such that a person of ordinary skill in the art will understandthat the example embodiments may also be directed to the variouselements for performing at least some of the aspects and features of thedescribed methods, be it by way of hardware, software or a combinationthereof. Accordingly, the technical solution of the describedembodiments may be embodied in a non-volatile or non-transitorymachine-readable medium (e.g., optical disk, flash memory, etc.) havingstored thereon executable instructions tangibly stored thereon thatenable a processing device to execute examples of the methods disclosedherein.

The term “processor” may include any programmable system comprisingsystems using microprocessors/controllers or nanoprocessors/controllers,digital signal processors (DSPs), application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) reducedinstruction set circuits (RISCs), logic circuits, and any other circuitor processor configured to execute the functions described herein. Theterm “database” may refer to either a body of data, a relationaldatabase management system (RDBMS), or to both. As used herein, adatabase may include any collection of data comprising hierarchicaldatabases, relational databases, flat file databases, object-relationaldatabases, object oriented databases, and any other structuredcollection of records or data that is stored in a computer system. Theabove examples are example only, and thus are not intended to limit inany way the definition and/or meaning of the terms “processor” or“database”.

The example embodiments are described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which the embodiments are shown. However, many differentembodiments may be used, and thus the description should not beconstrued as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, theseembodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough andcomplete. Separate boxes or illustrated separation of functionalelements of illustrated systems and devices does not necessarily requirephysical separation of such functions, as communication between suchelements may occur by way of messaging, function calls, shared memoryspace, and so on, without any such physical separation. As such,functions need not be implemented in physically or logically separatedplatforms, although they are illustrated separately for ease ofexplanation herein. Different devices may have different designs, suchthat although some devices implement some functions in fixed functionhardware, other devices may implement such functions in a programmableprocessor with code obtained from a machine-readable medium. Lastly,elements referred to in the singular may be plural and vice versa,except if indicated otherwise either explicitly or inherently bycontext.

The example embodiments may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the subject matter of the claims. The described exampleembodiments are to be considered in all respects as being onlyillustrative and not restrictive. The example embodiments intend tocover and embrace all suitable changes in technology. The scope of theexample embodiments is, therefore, described by the appended claimsrather than by the foregoing description. The scope of the claims shouldnot be limited by the embodiments set forth in the examples, but shouldbe given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description asa whole.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system comprising: a point of sale terminalcomprising: a card reader; a communication subsystem configured tocommunicate with a payment instrument, and configured to communicateover a network with at least a first server which is a loyalty server,and a plurality of different payment processing servers including asecond server which is a payment processing server; at least oneprocessor in communication with the communication subsystem and cardreader, configured to execute a loyalty agent for communicating with thefirst server, and a payment agent for communicating with the secondserver; wherein the payment agent is configured to: receive, via thecard reader, a payment instrument identifier associated with the paymentinstrument; receive an amount of a financial transaction; obtain afingerprint based on one-way encrypting the payment instrumentidentifier; transmit, to the loyalty agent, the fingerprint withouttransmitting the payment instrument identifier; wherein the loyaltyagent is configured to: transmit, to the first server via thecommunication subsystem, the fingerprint without transmitting thepayment instrument identifier, wherein the first server obtains aloyalty system account identifier associated with the fingerprint;receive, from the first server via the communication subsystem, aloyalty balance associated with the fingerprint without the loyaltysystem account identifier; wherein the payment agent is configured to:transmit, to the second server via the communication subsystem, thepayment identifier and a payment authorization request for authorizationof the amount of the financial transaction; receive, from the secondserver, a response to the payment authorization request that the amountof the financial transaction has been authorized for the paymentinstrument identifier; transmit, to the loyalty agent, datarepresentative of the amount of the financial transaction; wherein theloyalty agent is configured to: transmit, to the first server, the datarepresentative of the amount of the financial transaction; and whereinthe payment instrument identifier and the loyalty system accountidentifier is unknown to the loyalty agent.
 2. The system of claim 1,wherein the payment agent being configured to obtain the fingerprintfurther comprises the payment agent configured to obtain the fingerprintfrom the second server.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the paymentagent being configured to obtain the fingerprint further comprises thepayment agent configured to generate the fingerprint.
 4. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the financial transaction is a refund transaction,wherein the transmitting the payment authorization request for theauthorization of the amount of the financial transaction includestransmitting an amount of a refund for the refund transaction, whereinthe receiving the loyalty balance includes receiving a reversal of aloyalty amount due to the refund transaction.
 5. The system of claim 1,further comprising the first server.
 6. The system of claim 1, furthercomprising the second server.
 7. A method pursuant to a financialtransaction, the method comprising: from a point of sale terminalconfigured to communicate over a network with at least a first serverwhich is a loyalty server, and a plurality of different paymentprocessing servers including a second server which is a paymentprocessing server, and configured to execute a loyalty agent forcommunicating with the first server, and a payment agent forcommunicating with the second server: from the payment agent: receivinga payment instrument identifier associated with a payment instrument;receiving an amount of the financial transaction; obtaining afingerprint based on one-way encrypting the payment instrumentidentifier; transmitting, to the loyalty agent, the fingerprint withouttransmitting the payment instrument identifier; from the loyalty agent:transmitting, to the first server, the fingerprint without transmittingthe payment instrument identifier, wherein the first server obtains aloyalty system account identifier associated with the fingerprint;receiving, from the first server, a loyalty balance associated with thefingerprint without the loyalty system account identifier; from thepayment agent: transmitting, to the second server, the paymentidentifier and a payment authorization request for authorization of theamount of the financial transaction; receiving, from the second server,a response to the payment authorization request that the amount of thefinancial transaction has been authorized for the payment instrumentidentifier; transmitting, to the loyalty agent, data representative ofthe amount of the financial transaction; and from the loyalty agent:transmitting, to the first server, the data representative of the amountof the financial transaction; wherein the payment instrument identifierand the loyalty system account identifier is unknown to the loyaltyagent.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the fingerprint is anon-reversible, one-way transformation of the payment instrumentidentifier.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising salting thepayment instrument identifier, and wherein the one-way transformationincludes hashing of the salted payment instrument identifier.
 10. Themethod of claim 7, wherein the payment instrument identifier comprisesat least a primary account number (PAN).
 11. The method of claim 7,wherein the payment instrument identifier comprises at least a creditcard number or a debit card number.
 12. The method of claim 7, furthercomprising outputting, from the point of sale terminal, the loyaltybalance to a user interface of the point of sale terminal.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the loyalty balance reflects an updatedloyalty balance due to the amount of the financial transaction.
 14. Themethod of claim 13, wherein the transmitting, to the first server, thedata representative of the amount of the financial transaction, isperformed prior to the receiving, from the first server, the loyaltybalance associated with the fingerprint.
 15. The method of claim 13,wherein the financial transaction is a refund transaction, wherein thetransmitting the payment authorization request for authorization of theamount of the financial transaction includes transmitting an amount of arefund for the refund transaction, wherein the receiving the loyaltybalance includes receiving a reversal of a loyalty amount due to therefund transaction.
 16. The method of claim 12, the loyalty balancereflects current loyalty balance prior to the financial transaction. 17.The method of claim 16, the method further comprising: receiving, fromthe first server, an updated loyalty balance due to the amount of thefinancial transaction; and outputting, through the user interface, theupdated loyalty balance.
 18. The method of claim 16, the method furthercomprising: prompting, through the user interface, a loyalty redemptionamount to be deducted from the loyalty balance; wherein the amount ofthe financial transaction reflects the loyalty redemption amount that isdeducted; and receiving, from the first server, an updated loyaltybalance due to the amount of the financial transaction and/or theloyalty redemption amount; and outputting, through the user interface,the updated loyalty balance.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein thetransmitting, to the second server, the payment authorization requestfor authorization of the amount of the financial transaction isperformed in response to receiving the loyalty redemption amount fromthe prompting.
 20. The method of claim 7, wherein the transmitting, tothe first server, the data representative of the amount of the financialtransaction is performed in response to the receiving, from the secondserver, a response to the payment authorization request that the amountof the financial transaction has been authorized; and wherein theloyalty balance reflects an updated loyalty balance due to the amount ofthe financial transaction.
 21. The method of claim 7, wherein the datarepresentative of the amount of the financial transaction includes aloyalty amount equivalent to the amount of the financial transaction.22. The method of claim 7, wherein the payment instrument identifier isinaccessible to the first server and the loyalty agent.
 23. The methodof claim 7, wherein obtaining the fingerprint comprises the paymentagent generating the fingerprint.
 24. The method of claim 7, whereinobtaining the fingerprint comprises: receiving the fingerprint from thesecond server.
 25. A non-transitory processor readable memory containinginstructions which, when executed by at least one processor of a pointof sale terminal configured to communicate over a network with at leasta first server which is a loyalty server, and a plurality of differentpayment processing servers including a second server which is a paymentprocessing server, and configured to execute a loyalty agent forcommunicating with the first server, and a payment agent forcommunicating with the second server, cause at least one processor toperform a method, the instructions comprising: from the payment agent:instructions for receiving a payment instrument identifier associatedwith a payment instrument; instructions for receiving an amount of thefinancial transaction; instructions for obtaining a fingerprint based onone-way encrypting the payment instrument identifier; instructions fortransmitting, to the loyalty agent, the fingerprint without transmittingthe payment instrument identifier; from the loyalty agent: instructionsfor transmitting, to the first server, the fingerprint withouttransmitting the payment instrument identifier, wherein the first serverobtains a loyalty system account identifier associated with thefingerprint; instructions for receiving, from the first server, aloyalty balance associated with the fingerprint without the loyaltysystem account identifier; from the payment agent: instructions fortransmitting, to the second server, the payment identifier and a paymentauthorization request for authorization of the amount of the financialtransaction; instructions for receiving, from the second server, aresponse to the payment authorization request that the amount of thefinancial transaction has been authorized for the payment instrumentidentifier; instructions for transmitting, to the loyalty agent, datarepresentative of the amount of the financial transaction; and from theloyalty agent: instructions for transmitting, to the first server, thedata representative of the amount of the financial transaction; whereinthe payment instrument identifier and the loyalty system accountidentifier is unknown to the loyalty agent.